Blu-Ray-Technology - blu ray recorder, blu disc and bdr player, movies, games and reviews,

StorDigital DupeBox: Automation, not Aggravation!

2008-08-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

Ideal for desktop CD and DVD duplication purposes
~ StorDigital's DupeBox duplicator offers unattended operation 24/7 ~

Now it's easier than ever to produce multiple disc copies without a PC or human intervention - thanks to the StorDigital DupeBox

Do you have occasions where you need to make a few quick copies of a project but don't have the time to run them through your computer or on a manual tower, and don't have the budget for the larger robotic duplicators? The StorDigital DupeBox™ is the perfect solution. With a small manageable footprint not much larger than a shoe box, the DupeBox fits in any office or cubicle and works unattended to make up to 25 copies per run. Plus at an incredibly low price point, the DupeBox suits nearly any budget. With 25 disc capacity and 1 recording drive, the DupeBox gives you the ability to work on other matters with the confidence that your project will be duplicated quickly and reliably without breaking the bank.

With StorDigital DupeBox, automated disc duplication is available to everyone. Featuring the bestselling StorDigital enhanced duplication controller, the DupeBox is the perfect compliment for todays busy video production agency or digital office space. With its small footprint, quiet operation and ease of use you will soon discover how useful the DupeBox can be. Perfect for producing and distributing all manner of digital content from videos to corporate presentations. DupeBox is just like having a new employee who never complains about having to copy the DVDs!

Nic Ranshaw (MD of CD-writer.com and CEO of StorDigital Systems) said: "The DupeBox is simply an evolution of our existing product range. We have always strived to offer our customers the perfect balance between professional quality products and a best possible price. With the new DupeBox I consider we are really managing to achieve what other manufacturers might consider impossible."

He added, "StorDigital duplicators are designed and engineered by the best team in the business. We are always looking at the potential of new products and markets and there's always going to be something round the corner that will set the market alight".

The StorDigital DupeBox is available to buy now from CD-writer.com Ltd and StorDigital Systems on 0208 293 0777. Call now to register for your reseller account and start selling the UKs favourite range of CD, DVD and Blu-Ray Duplicators.

Retail customers can get more information and buy online at http://www.cd-writer.com/dupebox.html

New Sony Blu-ray Disc Player available at your stores

2008-07-23T04:59:00.000-07:00

Sony's next generation Blu-ray player is now in stores. The BDP-S350 is the first new Blu-ray player since the fall of HD DVD. Its main features are:
- BD-Live (and thus Ethernet) and USB (for external) storage
- PiP (BonusView)
- TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus
- AVCHD and xvYCC color support
- 1080 60/24p

It is now available for about $400 at Sony Style retail outlets, sonystyle.com and other authorized Sony retailers.

The S350 will hit for $400 this summer, while the S550 will run you $500 this fall.

More details on EMediaLive.com.

Axiom Technologies invests the Southeast Asian market with BLUELINE System for Blue-ray DL Discs

2008-07-23T04:55:00.000-07:00

Kahl am Main, July 18, 2008 – SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES (SINGULUS) installed the first BLULINE Blu-ray disc production machine for the Southeast Asian market at Axiom Technologies MFG PTE Ltd in Singapore this month.

At the inauguration ceremony “AXIOM GOES BLU” on 18 July 2008, the Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. George Yeo, was the Guest-of-Honor and along with Mr. Bernhard Goh, Managing Director of Axiom (AXIOM) they took the opportunity to praise Blu-ray technology and its advantages in the S.E.A. region.

Mr. Goh stated: “We are proud to be the pioneers for Blu-ray in our region, and will certainly promote this competitive advantage. Each adopter of this new technology will further nudge the optical business towards the 3rd generation formats and HDTV. The decision to buy a production system from SINGULUS is the right insurance for us to achieve this target.”

“With this first step, we are helping to develop the Southeast Asian Blu-ray market, and in particular to set the course for future SINGULUS business activities,” added Ms. Sylvia Hitzel, Vice-President Sales and Marketing at SINGULUS.

View full press release here.

Special offer on PRIMERA BRAVO PRO

2008-07-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

Customers at CD-writer.com can benefit from a great special offer on Primera Bravo Pro Disc publishers until 31st July 2008. With the registration of every new publisher ordered, customers will get a £100 CASH BACK rebate from Primera. So now using a Primera Bravo Disc publisher Pro bought from CD-writer.com, not only saves your time, but it also saves your money.

See the £100 CASH BACK offer on the Bravo Pro Publisher here.

SAVE ON PRIMERA BRAVO PRO WITH £100 CASH BACK

2008-07-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

Customers at CD-writer.com can benefit from a great special offer on Primera Bravo Pro Disc publishers until 31st July 2008. With the registration of every new publisher ordered, customers will get a £100 CASH BACK rebate from Primera. So now using a Primera Bravo Pro Disc publisher bought from CD-writer.com, not only saves you time, but it also saves you money.

See the £100 CASH BACK offer on the Bravo Pro Publisher here.

Burn It, Flip It, Print It with LightScribe Duplicators

2008-06-30T03:33:00.000-07:00

~ StorDigital’s LightScribe duplicators offer easy disc burning & labelling ~

New from StorDigital the LightScribe duplicator supports silkscreen-quality disc label printing direct from a DVD and CD duplication tower.

Burning and printing large volumes of discs has never been easier, thanks to a new range of DVD and CD duplication towers from StorDigital. The new standalone LightScribe duplicators are available in configuration from 1 to 15 targets and allow users to burn and label their discs in a traditional-style standalone tower copier. This is the perfect solution for any company or individual who wants to make the best impression with their disc.

StorDigital LightScribe duplicators feature patented HP LightScribe disc labeling technology. By utilising a special disc, LightScribe duplicator operators are able to burn their discs, then flip them and then burn a label or image on to the top of the disc. By offering duplicators featuring this enhanced functionality StorDigital Systems are revolutionising the traditional in-house production process.

Nic Ranshaw (MD of CD-writer.com and CEO of StorDigital Systems) had this to say: "The introduction of our LightScribe duplicators really does represent a turning point in the way people approach disc publishing. Traditionally if a tower duplicator customer wished to produce a disc that is both copied and labeled they would have to purchase a separate printer. We have transformed the process, making production simpler and reducing expenditure.“

He added, "We don’t consider that the LightScribe system is perfect for everybody. It won’t replace our automated inkjet printers, but having a tower duplicator that can also label your discs is a strong selling point".

StorDigital LightScribe duplicators featuring HP LightScribe technology are available now from CD-writer.com Ltd and StorDigital Systems on 0208 293 0777. To register for a CD-writer.com trade account log on to http://reseller.cd-writer.com.

Retail customers can get more information and buy online at www.cd-writer.com.

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Editor’s note: If you want to stay constantly up to date on the latest news from CD-Writer.com, paste the following link into your RSS reader, http://press.cd-writer.com/atom.xml. If you don’t have an RSS reader, I can recommend the following free package Sharp Reader.

For further information contact: Nic Ranshaw
CD-writer.com Ltd, 15 Greenwich Center Business Park,
53 Norman Road, London, SE10 9QF
Telephone: +44 (0)208 293 0777
Fax: +44 (0)208 293 0666
e-mail: nicr@cd-writer.com
www: www.cd-writer.com

About CD-Writer.com Ltd: CD-writer.com was established in 1999 and has forged a reputation as one of the UK's leading independent suppliers of CD and DVD production systems. CD-writer.com supplies a range of sectors including the media, financial institutions, government bodies and educational authorities. The company supplies equipment manufactured by Microboards, Primera, Rimage, MFDigital as well as StorDigital, its own brand of duplication systems. These include high capacity robotic auto copiers and manually operated high capacity tower copiers.

Ref: CDW0 26/06/08

New Samsung slot-in external DVD writer

2008-06-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a worldwide leader in digital consumer electronics and information technology, is expanding its TruDirect™ line of optical disc drives with the development of a slim, slot-in external model, the SE-T084M/RSWD. Samsung’s revolutionary TruDirect technology allows consumers to create DVDs and burn digital content through a PC without the need for a hard drive. The time-saving TruDirect ™ SE-T084M provides easy and fast real-time recording of DVDs.

For more informations, visit www.emedialive.com.

Panasonic introduces world's first 6X write-once blu-ray disc media

2008-06-25T04:42:00.000-07:00

Osaka, Japan (June 18, 2008) -- Panasonic, the leading brand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, announced today that it has developed the world's first Write-Once Blu-ray Discs(BD-R) with 6X writing speed*. The new discs will be available in Japan with both 25GB and 50GB capacities in July.

Panasonic, which introduced the world's first dual-layer 1X BD-RE Blu-ray Disc in 2004**, 2X BD-R/RE Discs in 2006, and 4X BD-R Disc in 2007, is now launching the world's first 6X BD-R to meet consumer demand to write and read large amounts of data at a higher speed. The new 6X discs have a maximum data transfer speed of 216Mbps, which is 20% faster than that of 16X DVD-R discs. This transfer speed, along with the discs' high capacity, allows consumers to use these discs for a variety of applications such as storing High Definition video or backing up PC data.

The new discs have a wide power margin at any writing speeds from 1X to 6X. This enables high-quality recording, even if the drive's laser power fluctuates, resulting in greater overall drive compatibility.

Panasonic's adoption of newly-developed disc technology produces extremely level and well-balanced discs with highly precise signal grooves. This improves servo characteristics and enables the laser beam to focus to the right position even when the disc is rotating with 6X high speed, thus providing optimum reading and writing performance.

Blu-ray disc drives compatible with 6X write-once Blu-ray discs are planned to be commercialized in Japan by the end of September 2008.

*As of June 18, 2008, as 6x recordable Blu-ray disc
**The capacity of Blu-ray discs is expressed in units of 1GB=1 billion bytes, but the capacity is slightly below that after formatting, so that the actual amount area that can be used will be less.
***Introduced in Japanese market only

For more informations, visit http://panasonic.net.

CyberLink PowerDVD Certified for DTS-HD Master Audio

2008-06-25T04:25:00.000-07:00

Taipei, Taiwan—June 20, 2008—CyberLink Corp., innovative solutions provider for the connected digital lifestyle, announced today that PowerDVD receives certification by DTS for the support of DTS-HD Master Audio technology.

The combination of CyberLink PowerDVD and DTS’s latest technology enables the ultimate entertainment experience when playing high-definition content and Blu-ray discs movies on PCs. DTS-HD Master Audio allows bit-for-bit reproduction of the original studio master soundtrack and supports up to 7.1-channel output, for a lifelike audio performance.

“We are pleased to work with DTS in enabling superior high definition video and audio experience on PCs,” said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink. “PowerDVD users can now enjoy lossless compression audio quality when watching their latest high definition Blu-ray discs.”

CyberLink PowerDVD’s main features include:
* Playback of Blu-ray Disc and high-definition videos;
* Optimized performance for playing high-definition video content through graphics cards featuring NVIDIA PureVideo, ATI Avivo, and Intel Clear Video chipsets;
* Support for next-generation disc features like Picture-in-Picture movie mode, networking, interactive BD-J, bookmarks, and advanced disc navigation.

CyberLink PowerDVD featuring DTS-HD Master Audio support will be available as an upgrade to existing users in in July 2008. An HDMI 1.3a-enabled audio system is necessary to enjoy the high-definition DTS-HD Master Audio.

For more information about CyberLink’s high-definition solutions, please visit www.cyberlink.com.

Bach: ' People won't pay extra for Blu-Ray '

2008-06-10T02:46:00.000-07:00

Xbox boss questions why consumers would upscale from DVD

Xbox president Robbie Bach has criticised Blu-Ray’s lack of sales success since the HD-DVD format imploded – and questioned why consumers would bother upscaling from DVD.

Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Bach also ruled out any possibility of a Blu-Ray enabled Xbox – either in this or the next generation.

Bach said: “If you look at the Blu-ray player market, you haven't seen the acceleration everybody expected (since the demise of HD DVD). It's not as much about whether all the content is in a Blu-ray format or a HD-DVD format. “You have to look at how fundamentally compelling the difference is between a progressive scan DVD player and the picture that it can produce and what you get on a high-definition play

Bach said: “If you look at the Blu-ray player market, you haven't seen the acceleration everybody expected (since the demise of HD DVD). It's not as much about whether all the content is in a Blu-ray format or a HD-DVD format. “You have to look at how fundamentally compelling the difference is between a progressive scan DVD player and the picture that it can produce and what you get on a high-definition player.

"The reality is there is some difference, but most people look at it and say, ‘I am not going to pay extra for that.’”

When asked if Microsoft had Blu-Ray plans for the next-gen Xbox, Bach added:

“No. There is nothing to even talk about right now with regard to the next generation. That is so far out that there isn't anything to talk about.”

Get more details here

Blu-Ray sales outpacing DVD

2008-06-10T02:38:00.000-07:00

Singulus reveals uptake of replication hardware is ahead of ‘last-gen’ disc format

Optical disc hardware specialist Singulus has received orders for 21 Blu-Ray dual-layer duplication machines in the first quarter of this year – a faster adoption than of the format’s predeccesor DVD 11 years ago.

"This means that the orders for Blu-ray in the first year of the dual layer technology already by far exceeded the volume at the start of the DVD 11 years ago with 17 machines," said chief financial officer Stefan Baustert.

Get more details here

Blu-ray movie sales surpass 2007 figures

2008-06-09T08:14:00.001-07:00

Analysts say landmark is a sign that the format is becoming mainstream

Blu-ray movie sales have passed the 11 million mark according to the latest figures, prompting industry analysts suggest that the format is finally beginning to gain traction amongst customers.

Research by US market analyst firm Redhill also showed that sales of the format had overtaken those of 2007 by May this year. Blu-ray movie sales only accounted for two per cent of total movie sales during 2007, however, Redhill's figures suggest that the format may account for as much as eight and ten per cent of total sales by the end of 2008.

Get more details here

Blu-ray records now available

2008-05-31T02:20:00.000-07:00

Yes its true - HD audio has finnaly made it onto the streets in the shape of a Blu-Ray Disc. Featuring a classical string symphony perfomed by TrondheimSolistene (An essemble of string soloists from Norway), called Divertimenti.

Formats include 2.0 LPCM, 5.1 LPCM, 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio, 5.1 Dolby True HD, 5.1 Dolby Digital at 48KHz, and it has been confirmed to work just fine on the PS3.

Find out more

SharkCopier DC Line of Daisy Chain Manual Tower Duplicators, by Vinpower Digital

2008-05-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Vinpower Digital announced today the release of the SharkCopier DC standalone manual tower DVD/CD daisy chain systems. These units offer all the options and benefits expected from the SharkCopier line of duplicators with the added capability to be linked together in a chain, copying across each tower using only one source. This is extremely beneficial to those who need to create numerous copies quickly in a short period of time with only 1 or a few master sources to copy from.

This system sets itself apart from similar models on the market in the sheer number of towers that can be connected to a single source and in the manner that the data flow is transferred using the Vinpower Digital controller. Plus as the largest tower on the market that can be configured into a Daisy Chain system, HDD to 14 writer drives, the SharkCopier DC has the highest potential duplication output of any standalone manual tower duplicator on the market. As a fully standalone system, the SharkCopier DC is very easy to operate. This daisy chain system can be used anywhere there are suitable electrical outlets without being tied to a computer following these simple steps:

1) Ensure that each tower is properly connected and powered on.
2) Fill all of the writer drives with blank media consistent with the master source.
a. Leave the top writer drive on the first tower empty for the master disc.
3) Place the master disc into the top drive on the first tower in the chain.
a. After the first run, the master disc can be removed and this drive can be used as another writer drive.
4) Press the Copy fast key and every drive filled with blank media will duplicate across each tower simultaneously.

"The fact that each unit has its own internal hard drive for storing and reading the master source, there is less likelihood that the duplication job will fail or suffer from buffer under-run due to restrictions in the data flow," said Calvin Chang, C.E.O Vinpower Digital.

Due to this unique feature, each unit can operate as a standalone system on their own or in unison in a daisy chain capacity. This allows the user greater flexibility and more control over the copy process and the speed of output.

In addition to the daisy chain feature, all SharkCopier models offer dynamic hard drive partitions and the Simultaneous Load & Copy feature. They still offer exceptional duplication capability at lightning fast speed along with market leading features for which the SharkCopier has been known, like Account Management, Auto Counter, Multi-language support, Drive firmware upgrade ability, and so much more that helped make the SharkCopier the preferred duplicator.

For further information on any or all of Vinpower Digital's line of duplicators please visit our website at http://www.vinpowerdigital.com/.

Blue Ray Technologies to Open Hollywood Plant and Others Across US to Serve New BD and HD Demand

2008-05-19T03:59:00.000-07:00

Blue Ray Technologies is planning to open multiple Blu-Ray disc production facilities across the U.S, starting with Southern California, to handle rapidly growing and changing high definition demands by the public and the entertainment industry.

With the end of the format war, and 70% of the US having bought or buying HD screens (according to Nielsen figures) There is an "overwhelming” demand now for instant product in Blu-ray is the present and future in the arena, according to DVD pioneer and Blue Ray Technologies founder Erick Hansen.

Get the full story here

Blu-ray Wins the Format Battle, but Consumers Don’t Buy it

2008-05-19T03:43:00.000-07:00

While many people expected sales of Blu-ray disc players to spike when Toshiba decided to drop out of the high-definition HD DVD market in February 2008, according to a new Harris Poll, it seems that the recently resolved high definition format war is not
motivating consumers to purchase the advanced DVD players any time soon.

Get the full story here

Despite the Ramp of Blu-ray Drives, DVD Burners Will Continue to Be the Leading Volume Product Until 2012, According to IDC

2008-05-19T03:11:00.000-07:00

Overall PC market growth, driven by portable PCs, will give the worldwide CD/DVD market a moderately positive outlook in 2008 and lead to increased demand for slim drives. Despite the ramp of Blu-ray drives, DVD burners will continue to be the leading volume
product until 2012. However, as the PC market's adoption of DVD burners becomes aturated and increasingly commoditized, Blu-ray adoption will accelerate in 2009 and Blu-ray drives will become the majority of the total market value in 2012.

"DVD burners will remain the bread-and-butter business for ODD vendors," said Wolfgang Schlichting, research director, Removable Storage at IDC. "Despite Blu-ray's win over HD DVD in the format war, Blu-ray drive adoption will be limited in 2008
because of their high price and only moderate consumer interest."

Get the full story here

Xbox 360 First Gaming System to Reach 10 Million in U.S.

2008-05-19T03:03:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Corp. today announced that Xbox 360® has sold over ten million units in the United States, making it the first current generation gaming console to break the ten million mark in the U.S., and contributing to global sales of over 19 million.

"This year will be the largest in the history of the videogame industry, with Xbox 360 leading the charge in the U.S. and abroad," said Don Mattrick, senior Vice President of the Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division at Microsoft. "History has shown us that the first company to reach ten million in console sales wins the generation battle. We are uniquely positioned to set a new benchmark for the industry."

Get the full story here

NetBlender and BluFocus have formed a partnership to BD Touch technology for the Blu-ray industry

2008-05-19T02:52:00.000-07:00

NetBlender and BluFocus have formed a partnership for the development, implementation, and certification of BD Touch technology for the Blu-ray industry. BD Touch is a new Blu-ray technology, developed by NetBlender, which allows iPhones and iPod Touch devices to interact with content on a Blu-ray disc.
Under the new relationship, BluFocus will serve as the exclusive provider of BD Touch Software Development Kits (SDKs) to movie studios, authoring facilities and tools providers who wish to produce BD Touch applications with NetBlender's Blend/In SDK.
BluFocus will also provide testing and certification services for BD Touch-enabled discs prior to replication.

Get the full story here

The new Third-Generation Blu-ray Disc Player introduced by Panasonic

2008-05-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal U.S. subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC), announces the introduction of the anticipated DMP-BD50, Panasonic’s third generation Blu-ray disc player - the ultimate playback source for high definition 1080p content. Blu-ray media offers a wide range of functions that foster the transition to HD - including 1080p image quality, lossless Dolby® TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio™ and versatile Picture-in-Picture applications. The BD50 adds the new BD-Live function, which uses the internet to further enhance the consumer’s entertainment experience and employs VIERA Link,™ a technology that allows the consumer to operate VIERA Link equipped home theater components with a single remote. The DMP-BD50 will be available this spring and will have an SRP of $699.95.

BD-Live opens up a myriad of interactive possibilities for the consumer. In the future BD-Live will allow users to connect the DMP-BD50 to the internet to download such data as images and subtitles, and to join in multi-player interactive games that are linked to bonus movie content contained on Blu-ray discs.

For optimum image quality the DMP-BD50 features the PHL Reference Chroma processor and P4HD i/p conversion processor, which combine to create Uniphier®, a precise digital video processor that produces sharp, crisp, natural colors that are extremely faithful to the original movie. Uniphier reflects the advance encoding and authoring technologies developed by Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory.

The true to the original source images are complimented by an exceptionally pure, accurate sound achieved through Audio Re-master and integrated decoders for the lossless Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats. Furthermore, the DMP-BD50 can be combined with a 7.1 channel amplifier and speakers for full 7.1 channel surround sound.

Networking is an essential product of the DMP-BD50. The included SD Memory Card slot allows for easy transferring of images from an HD camcorder or digital still camera via an SD Memory card. The consumer simply inserts the SD card into the BD50 and then can view the images on a large screen HD flat panel television with AVCHD format video images or JPEG stills in full 1920 x 1080 resolution. In addition the DMP-BD50 has been awarded the Energy Star certification.

“Panasonic was the first to bring a Blu-ray player with Bonus View (Final Standard Profile 1.1) to market and now with the DMP-BD50 we are again leading the industry with the inclusion of BD-Live,” said Paul Sabo, Panasonic, National Marketing Manager Entertainment Group. “The beauty of the Blu-ray player is that we can now see movies the way the film maker intended, in glorious HD video and audio. The consumer can now combine the new generation DMP-BD50 with a VIERA flat screen televison to create a true living in high definition experience.”
www.panasonic.com

Blu-ray Disc Players Emulate True Theater Experience

2008-05-13T06:50:00.000-07:00

Elevating the high definition experience in home theaters, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announces the Elite® BDP-05FD and Pioneer® BDP-51FD BonusView Blu-ray Disc® players that exceed the capabilities of current players in the market with support of next generation high resolution audio and video formats that fulfill the emotional experience of high end entertainment. Featuring picture-in-picture interactivity and a redesigned platform that significantly improves overall performance, the new players work in tandem with Pioneer’s KURO displays and A/V receivers to provide film enthusiasts the most true-to-life reproduction of HD feature films.

“Our new Blu-ray Disc players continue to demonstrate Pioneer’s unwavering commitment to delivering an immersive seeing and hearing experience for those who want the absolute best in form and function,” said Chris Walker, senior manager of marketing and product planning for Blu-ray Disc at Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “In offering a full line of players, we are solidifying Pioneer’s reputation as a brand that is continually meeting the needs of consumers who are designing or upgrading their home theaters.”

Cinematic Picture Quality
Taking advantage of HDMI® 1.3a technology, Pioneer brings film aficionados to the frontier of next generation entertainment with the most cutting edge video processing available. Both players support 12-bit video digital-to-analog converter (DAC) providing exceptional analog video performance. 12-Bit Deep Color is implemented on both models to deliver an unprecedented range of hues and shades resulting in pristine, realistic imagery that was not possible with previous generations. For early technology adopters, both players are a great investment that will continually meet the advancements of HD home entertainment technology.

With Pioneer’s 1080p / True 24 frames per second (fps) video output, the two models offer smooth performance of film based Blu-ray Disc movies that greatly reduce image judder. By preserving the feature film scene cadence in which Blu-ray Disc titles are authored and feature films are captured, viewers gain a natural, high quality movie viewing experience just as they would in the theater.

Pioneer has continued to enhance high performance DVD playback in the new players with the inclusion of the proprietary and advanced PureCinema Deinterlacer, which essentially eliminates lines that can negatively affect the viewing experience. DVDs can be scaled to a 1080p resolution for improved picture quality and compatibility with HDTVs.

Dynamic Audio Enhances Emotional Experience
Pioneer recognizes the vital importance that sound plays in creating an emotional home entertainment experience and for film aficionados who want to gain the full impact of high resolution movie soundtracks.

The new players are two of the industry’s first to support all advanced audio formats, with the ability to decode Dolby® TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus, DTS® HD* and DTS HD Master* high resolution audio formats, which also enables advanced connectivity that makes compatibility a minimal concern. Consumers will hear the subtle nuances and deep bass in their favorite films to bring an unprecedented listening experience that transcends what was previously thought possible in home theater.

Typically utilized by high end audio manufacturers and professional audio equipment, Pioneer selected the professional quality Wolfson Digital Audio Converters (DACs) in the new players to ensure the highest level audio performance that sound engineers intended audiences to experience.

Robust Build Quality
Pioneer’s two BonusView Blu-ray Disc players feature a supreme build construction and attention to detail to ensure unrivaled content performance. The BDP-05FD and BDP-51FD define premium performance with high quality parts, a center loading tray which helps reduce vibration as well as dedicated audio and video boards for smooth operation and uninterrupted playback of discs.

The Elite BDP-05FD features gold-plated connection ports, capacitance touch key buttons and an aluminum front panel that will have audiophiles and videophiles eager to use and display within their high end home theater décor.

Pioneer Home Theater Synergy
Performing in concert with KURO displays and the upcoming Elite A/V receivers (SC-05 or SC-07), the new Blu-ray Disc players complete the home entertainment experience, allowing consumers to immerse themselves in stunning HD content.

Pioneer engineers developed unique performance settings in both players to ensure subtle details, vivid colors and deep shadows are accurately reproduced when shown on KURO displays. When selecting the “Pioneer PDP” in the video adjust mode, the new players will output the appropriate signal to a connected KURO and deliver the best possible image possible for viewers.

In line with the premium movie experience its products provide, Pioneer sought to create jitter-free playback and dynamic sound quality for music CDs. When connected to a new Elite receiver (SC-05 or SC-07) via HDMI, the BDP-05FD enhances CD playback with the proprietary Precision Quartz Lock System (PQLS). This advanced feature synchronizes music data coming from the Blu-ray Disc player to the receiver giving music fanatics a revolutionary high resolution listening experience far exceeding traditional methods.

Consumer Convenience
Due to the exclusive chip set design and build quality Pioneer is now utilizing, significant strides in speed performance have been made with the new players to now rival the rapid playback rate consumers have come to experience when using their DVD players. This platform greatly improves disc load, power on, power off and disc eject times.

With a continued focus on unifying the appearance and enhancing the operation of its home theater products, Pioneer has integrated the same graphic user interface found on its KURO displays and new Elite receivers. Through the player, users can customize their viewing experience via the A/V Selection menu, which provides a series of image modifications (LCD, PDP, Pioneer PDP, projector and professional) to optimize the picture displayed on a connected HDTV. Pioneer takes image quality a step further with the exclusive Picture Control Suite, which is comprised of an additional 13 video adjustments that allow viewers to fine tune small picture details of a film and deliver an experience that best suits a user’s viewing preferences.

The Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD and BDP-51FD BonusView Blu-ray Disc players will begin shipping this summer for suggested prices of $799 and $599, respectively.

Pioneer’s Home Entertainment and Business Solutions Group develops high definition home theater equipment for discerning entertainment junkies. Its flat panel televisions, Blu-ray Disc players, A/V receivers and speakers bring a new level of emotion to the HD experience. The company brands include Pioneer and Elite®. When purchased from an authorized retailer, consumers receive a limited warranty for one year with Pioneer products and two years with Pioneer Elite products. More details can be located at www.pioneerelectronics.com

Falcon Technologies International Introduces SmartWhite Printable Surfaces for Optical Disc Media Products

2008-05-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

Falcon Technologies International (FTI), the worldwide leading manufacturer of optical data storage discs for professional and archival applications, today introduced a complete line of recordable discs featuring innovative SmartWhite printable surfaces. Designed to yield the highest quality printing results with both inkjet and thermal printers, SmartWhite printable surfaces are available on FalconMedia Pro DVD-R, CD-R and Blu-ray Disc recording media.

Ideal for a wide range of applications from service bureaus and video/film production houses, to corporate offices, government agencies, houses of worship and medical institutions, FalconMedia Pro DVD-R, CD-R and Blu-ray Discs featuring SmartWhite Printable surfaces deliver the unsurpassed quality for which FTI is known.

"Our universal SmartWhite technology eliminates the confusion from selecting and purchasing printable media, and simplifies media inventory management for businesses that use both inkjet and thermal disc printing systems," said Mr. Adel Michael, co-founder and CEO of Falcon Technologies International (FTI). "Ideal for a wide range of applications from service bureaus and video/film production houses, to corporate offices, government agencies, houses of worship and medical institutions, FalconMedia Pro DVD-R, CD-R and Blu-ray Discs featuring SmartWhite Printable surfaces deliver the unsurpassed quality for which FTI is known."

FTI SmartWhite printable discs combine crisp, clear surface printing capabilities with exceptional recording and playback performance. The surfaces are designed to dry quickly and lock-in vivid color. The discs feature print-to-hub surfaces that enable printing all the way to each disc's hub for maximum visual impact.

Universal SmartWhite printable surface technology is available in combination with a host of other advanced FTI media technologies. With its innovative 24k gold reflective layer formulations, FTI has achieved an archival lifespan of more than 300 years for FalconMedia Pro Full Gold EP recordable CD-R media, and more than 100 years for FalconMedia Pro Gold EP recordable DVD-R media. A 24k gold reflective layer provides maximum resistance to degradation caused by environmental factors such as corrosion, a major cause of failure in standard media. Both solutions have been subjected to accelerated aging conditions, confirming the discs' archival life-spans.

FTI's Ultra Hard Coat (UHC) anti-scratch protection is the most reliable solution to protect mission-critical data against potential disc surface contaminants and mishandling. Applied to the media's polycarbonate layer during the manufacturing process, UHC technology dramatically increases the disc's scratch resistance and also helps fend off other contaminants such as smudges from fingerprints. Because most spills and other contaminants cannot readily bind to the UHC surface, the disc easily wipes clean. Performance is not impacted, and the data is protected.

FalconMedia Pro SmartWhite printable surface DVD-R, CD-R and Blu-ray Discs are available in Cake box 50 or 100 horizontal tape wrapped spindles.

nnovation and Leadership
FalconMedia Pro DVD-R, CD-R and Blu-ray Disc recording media solutions are designed to unyielding quality standards. To ensure absolute quality consistency, all FTI media is manufactured by highly skilled staff at a single state-of-the-art facility in the UAE. Only FTI recording media solutions provide Certified Swiss Quality (CSQ), validated by FTI’s certification by Swiss ISO organizations, widely considered among the world’s most stringent ISO bodies.

FTI is on the forefront of the most advanced optical recording technologies. The unique inorganic recording material formulation deployed for FTI’s recordable Blu-ray Discs helps achieve exceptional stability for longer archival and superior data protection. Partnered with a leading Japan-based Blu-ray technology provider, FTI gains access to advancements before others, giving its customers a valuable competitive advantage.

Burn PowerPoint to DVD, the new Acoolsoft PPT2DVD 2.0 Release

2008-05-13T06:04:00.000-07:00

Acoolsoft, which is absorbed in developing the best presentation authoring tools, today announced the release of PPT2DVD 2.0, an innovative yet economical solution to bring your PowerPoint presentation out of the monitors, but onto DVDs. Since its initial release on 2007, it has won tons of praises and received lots of Suggestions. After 5 months developing, it finally upgraded from 1.x to 2.0 with great improvements.

What's new in Acoolsoft PPT2DVD 2.0?
Acoolsoft PPT2DVD is the best tool to burn PowerPoint to DVD with excellent quality. It can retain all the animations, transitions, audio tracks, video clips, action buttons, internal links and other things you've added to the presentation, and generate DVD Menus to enable you to control the playback with a DVD remote. It is used by more and more teachers, sales people, presenters and even individuals who want to share or distribute their PowerPoint slide show more conveniently.
Acoolsoft PPT2DVD is a creative PowerPoint to DVD conversion tool which helps you easily burn PowerPoint to DVD with animations, transitions, sound tracks and even videos retained. With simply 4-step, your PowerPoint presentation will be converted to DVD without attendance. Moreover, Acoolsoft PPT2DVD empowers you to create eye-popping DVD Menus for easily navigating through presentation on TV by a DVD remote control. Converting PowerPoint to DVD cracks the obstacle of sharing PowerPoint presentations via flexible media, and it is also a good solution of preventing unauthorized modification.

Click here learn more details about Acoolsoft PPT2DVD 2.0. Download PPT2DVD 2.0: http://www.ppt-to-video.com/powerpoint-to-dvd-download.html

Transforming Blu-Ray Disc Players Into Global HD Set-Top Boxes by BIDDLE Technology

2008-05-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

Dreamer, a Korean-based leader in developing interactive TV-related platforms, announced today that it has opened an office in Burbank, CA in order to better serve Hollywood-based customers of its patented BIDDLE technology, which is currently in use by over one million subscribers in Korea.

Dreamer's BIDDLE technology is a software platform that makes it possible for content creators and distributors to deliver customized, interactive programming and services directly to consumers' living room TVs, via a networked Blu-ray Disc player (BD Live) or a PlayStation(R) 3 gaming console.

With BIDDLE technology, the possibilities for interactive content and services are virtually endless, including video/audio on demand (VOD), product catalogs, e-commerce, casual gaming, social networking, advertising, web portals and much more. All of these can be personalized by geographic region or even by specific players.

"BIDDLE technology is designed to be an efficient, turn-key solution for any company that is ready to enter the interactive TV era," said Dr. Won Baek, CEO/President of Dreamer.

Added Dr. Baek: "For content creators and distributors, BIDDLE technology presents an easy to deploy solution backed by real-world operational experience, which allows them to continually update and add new content and services, thus keeping their customers coming back for new experiences. From a consumer standpoint, BIDDLE technology is 'invisible', turning their Blu-ray Disc player into a global HD set-top box."

The BIDDLE code pulls the content and services from a central server, allowing every application to load as fast as today's web pages, thus making it easy for consumers to browse, search and watch interactive content on their TV screens.

"BIDDLE technology is the only BD-Live solution available that allows content providers to continually update and add new applications and services that consumers can access via the same Blu-ray disc, even years after the disc has been released," said Jim Braun, CEO, Namsung America, an exclusive sales and marketing agent for the BIDDLE technology in North America.

Added Braun: "We anticipate that many U.S. movie studios and broadcasters will see the limitless possibilities that this technology provides in terms of building their brands, enhancing their customers' experiences, and offering additional revenue streams for their companies."

About Dreamer: Dreamer is a leader in converged broadcasting and communication software technology with nearly a decade of experience in developing and selling interactive TV-related platforms, solutions and services. Dreamer and Namsung America are affiliates under the Namsung Corporation umbrella of companies. For more information visit:
http://www.biddle.tv

Neil Young Joins Sun Microsystems at 2008 JavaOne Conference to Announce Career Archive Blu-ray Disc Series

2008-05-13T05:44:00.000-07:00

Rocker Neil Young plans to release his entire music archive on Blu-ray discs, a sign that the discs' capabilities are building appeal among musicians as well as movie studios.

Blu-ray discs hold much more data than DVDs, are easily updated over the Internet and offer better picture and sound quality.

Young revealed his plans Tuesday at a Sun Microsystems Inc. conference in San Francisco. Santa Clara-based Sun makes the Java technology that gives Blu-ray discs their interactive menus and ability to accept updates over an Internet connection.

The first installment of Young's archive will cover the years 1963 to 1972 and will be released as a 10-disc set this fall on Reprise/Warner Bros. Records.

Young said the archives will be released chronologically and include some previously unreleased songs, videos, handwritten manuscripts and other memorabilia, in addition to the high-resolution audio that Blu-ray technology is known for.

Fans can download more content like songs, photos and tour information directly to the Blu-ray discs as the content becomes available.

Blu-ray's rival format HD DVD effectively died with maker Toshiba Corp.'s announcement in February that it will no longer produce HD DVD players.

Most of the Blu-ray discs manufactured so far have been used for high-definition movies.

Musical artists such as AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen and Destiny's Child released concert videos on Blu-ray discs,
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but Young's support of the technology for his ambitious archive project demonstrates more fully the capabilities of Blu-ray as a music medium.

Earlier technology didn't offer the ability to browse archive material while listening to songs in high-resolution audio, Young noted.

"Previous technology required unacceptable quality compromises," he said in a statement. "I am glad we waited and got it right."
http://sun.com